Baby Care Basics

Any parent will want the best for their son or daughter, but finding the best baby cradle on a budget can be challenging. There are so many different designs of baby cribs and cradles - this is something you will need to take time to research.

In order for it to qualify as being the best cradle, it will need to meet minimum government requirements. If you follow the manufacturer’s directions when you are assembling it, even the least expensive crib should be safe to put your baby in. However, there are times where an unsafe crib slips through, so make sure you watch for recalls, just in case.

A cradle that is safe should have a firm mattress that fits tightly in the crib. There should  not be any missing and/or broken hardware and no cutouts at the foot-boards or head boards. The slats shouldn’t be any more than the width of a soda can. If they were any wider your baby could get his/her head stuck between them. The corner posts should not be any higher than 1/16 inches.

As of June of 2011, the cradle safety standards have changed. Those cribs that have the drop down sides are not considered safe. In the past, they were very popular, so you may stumbled across them at a second-hand shop, but do not be tempted to buy it, no matter how safe you personally think it is. The best baby cradle will not have a drop-down side. You will be looking for cradles that have fixed sides.

The best cradle is going to have sturdy wheels on it. Wheels come in handy as you will want to move the crib in order to vacuum under it. Wheels will also make it easier for you to change the your baby’s sheets.

Having a cradle that will allow you to adjust the mattress height is a good idea. This feature is available on many different cribs. It will allow the mattress to be higher so that you can easily lay a newborn in it, then lower it for babies that are able to pull up. The cradle should be able to be adjusted to two mattress heights but three mattress heights is even better.

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